Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,687 in Karmøy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,109 in Karmøy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,530 in Karmøy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Karmøy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Karmøy is 96% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$22.10 NOK 208

-90.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$95.4 NOK 898

-79.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$14.10 NOK 133

-59.79%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$4.76 NOK 44.85

-61.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ฿25.55

$3.87 NOK 36.42

-80.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$3.33 NOK 31.36

-89.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$12.29 NOK 116

-82.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$10.31 NOK 97.1

-63.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.42 NOK 22.81

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.76 NOK 35.45

-59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$4.29 NOK 40.40

-67.37%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$4.54 NOK 42.80

-50.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$13.61 NOK 128

18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$14.06 NOK 132

-79.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$33.34 NOK 314

-71.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.61 NOK 34.02

-25.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.68 NOK 25.25

-59.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.05 NOK 38.19

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.93 NOK 46.42

-70.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.36 NOK 22.20

-45.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$3.16 NOK 29.74

-66.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$3.14 NOK 29.53

-77.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$2.72 NOK 25.58

-80.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$17.27 NOK 163

-75.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$16.86 NOK 159

8.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.61 NOK 34.01

-54.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.67 NOK 44.02

-37.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$4.60 NOK 43.32

-80.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$86.0 NOK 810

-37.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$13.33 NOK 126

-91.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.83 NOK 17.25

-68.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$61.0 NOK 574

-96.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.11 NOK 19.85

-31.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$56.0K NOK 527.6K

-62.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$48.0K NOK 451.9K

-44.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$63.7 ฿2,116

$317 NOK 2,987

-79.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.89 ฿429

$33.04 NOK 311

-60.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$65.5 NOK 617

-68.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$51.4 NOK 484

-24.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$39.27 NOK 370

-90.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$20.09 NOK 189

-67.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$784 ฿26.1K

$223 NOK 2,098

252.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$12.9K NOK 121.8K

13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$92.5 NOK 871

-40.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$64.9 NOK 611

-61.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$144 NOK 1,355

-34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$153 NOK 1,440

-51.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,218 NOK 11.5K

-59.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$1,045 NOK 9,848

-72.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$2,052 NOK 19.3K

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,685 NOK 15.9K

-69.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$6,768 NOK 63.8K

-70.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$4,771 NOK 44.9K

-69.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$4,154 NOK 39.1K

-85.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.98

11.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Karmøy: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,218 in Karmøy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 590% higher in Karmøy, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $95.0 in Karmøy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $503 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Karmøy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karmøy costs about 188% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,031 in Karmøy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $223 in Karmøy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Karmøy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Karmøy at $2,687. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karmøy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,687 in Karmøy. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karmøy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.